82 FR 58590 - Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 238 (December 13, 2017)

Page Range		58590-58591
FR Document		2017-26788

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the commercial transportation of equines to slaughtering facilities.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58590-58591]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26788]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0093]

Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an
Information Collection; Commercial Transportation of Equines for
Slaughter

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and extension of approval of an information
collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's
intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an
information collection associated with the regulations for the
commercial transportation of equines to slaughtering facilities.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
February 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0093.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0093, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-
0093 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC.
Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you,
please call 202-799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the regulations for
the commercial transportation of equines for slaughter, contact Mr.
Joseph Astling, Compliance & Outreach, Commercial Transport of Equines
for Slaughter, Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services, VS,
APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737; (817) 247-3704.
For copies of more detailed information on the information collection,
contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator,
at (301) 851-2843.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter.
OMB Control Number: 0579-0332.
Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an
information collection.
Abstract: Sections 901-905 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement
and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901) authorize the Secretary of
Agriculture to issue guidelines for regulating the commercial
transportation of equines for slaughter by persons regularly engaged in
that activity within the United States. Specifically, the Secretary is
authorized to regulate the food, water, and rest provided to these
equines while the equines are in transit and to review related issues
appropriate to ensuring that these animals are treated humanely. Based
on that authority, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) established regulations in
9 CFR part 88, ``Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter.''
The regulations in part 88 provide minimum standards that cover,
among other things, the food, water, and rest provided to such equines
prior to transportation. The regulations also prohibit the commercial
transportation for slaughter of equines considered to be unfit for
travel, the use of electric prods on such animals in commercial
transportation for slaughter, and the use of double-deck trailers for
commercial transportation of equines for slaughter.
APHIS' regulations also require the application of backtags and the
completion of owner/shipper certificates of fitness to travel to a
slaughter facility that include identification of the animals, details
of the transportation, and signatures attesting to compliance with the
provision of food, rest, and water, and to the animal's fitness to
travel. In addition, any owner/shipper transporting equines to
slaughtering facilities outside the United States must present the
owner-shipper certificates to USDA representatives at the U.S. border.
Implementing these regulations entails the use of information
collection activities, such as providing business information,
completing owner/shipper certificates of fitness to travel to a
slaughter facility, certificates of veterinary inspection, maintaining
records of the owner/shipper certificate and continuation sheet, and
applying backtags, as needed.
The information collection requirements above are currently
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the
commercial transportation of equines for slaughter under OMB control
numbers 0579-0332 and 0579-0160. After OMB approves this combined
information collection package (0579-0332), APHIS will retire OMB
control number 0579-0160.
We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information
collection activities, as described, for an additional 3 years.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection.
These comments will help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including
whether the information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated,
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of responses.
Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.465 hours per response.
Respondents: Owners and shippers of slaughter horses, owners or
operators of slaughtering facilities, and drivers of the transport
vehicles.

[[Page 58591]]

Estimated annual number of respondents: 302.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 61.
Estimated annual number of responses: 18,500.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 8,608 hours. (Due to
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per
response.)
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.

Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of December 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-26788 Filed 12-12-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

58590 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 13, 2017 / Notices

To ensure the recommendations of the APHIS-2017-0093 or in our reading certificates of fitness to travel to a
Committee have taken into account the room, which is located in Room 1141 of slaughter facility that include
needs of the diverse groups served by the USDA South Building, 14th Street identification of the animals, details of
the Department, membership should and Independence Avenue SW, the transportation, and signatures
include, to the extent practicable, Washington, DC. Normal reading room attesting to compliance with the
individuals with demonstrated ability to hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday provision of food, rest, and water, and
represent underrepresented groups through Friday, except holidays. To be to the animal’s fitness to travel. In
(minorities, women, and persons with sure someone is there to help you, addition, any owner/shipper
disabilities). At least one nominee from please call 202–799–7039 before transporting equines to slaughtering
each of the three regions, as well as for coming. facilities outside the United States must
the member-at-large, must be from an FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For present the owner-shipper certificates to
underrepresented group. The voting will information on the regulations for the USDA representatives at the U.S.
be by secret ballot of official delegates, commercial transportation of equines border.
and the results will be recorded. for slaughter, contact Mr. Joseph Implementing these regulations
Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of Astling, Compliance & Outreach, entails the use of information collection
December 2017. Commercial Transport of Equines for activities, such as providing business
Kevin Shea, Slaughter, Surveillance, Preparedness, information, completing owner/shipper
and Response Services, VS, APHIS, certificates of fitness to travel to a
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service. 4700 River Road, Unit 46, Riverdale, slaughter facility, certificates of
MD 20737; (817) 247–3704. For copies veterinary inspection, maintaining
[FR Doc. 2017–26787 Filed 12–12–17; 8:45 am]
of more detailed information on the records of the owner/shipper certificate
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
information collection, contact Ms. and continuation sheet, and applying
Kimberly Hardy, APHIS’ Information backtags, as needed.
The information collection
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851–
requirements above are currently
2843.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection approved by the Office of Management
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: and Budget (OMB) for the commercial
Service Title: Commercial Transportation of transportation of equines for slaughter
[Docket No. APHIS–2017–0093] Equines for Slaughter. under OMB control numbers 0579–0332
OMB Control Number: 0579–0332. and 0579–0160. After OMB approves
Notice of Request for Revision to and Type of Request: Revision to and this combined information collection
Extension of Approval of an extension of approval of an information package (0579–0332), APHIS will retire
Information Collection; Commercial collection. OMB control number 0579–0160.
Transportation of Equines for Abstract: Sections 901–905 of the We are asking OMB to approve our
Slaughter Federal Agriculture Improvement and use of these information collection
Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901) activities, as described, for an additional
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to
Inspection Service, USDA. 3 years.
issue guidelines for regulating the The purpose of this notice is to solicit
ACTION: Revision to and extension of commercial transportation of equines comments from the public (as well as
approval of an information collection; for slaughter by persons regularly affected agencies) concerning our
comment request. engaged in that activity within the information collection. These comments
United States. Specifically, the will help us:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Secretary is authorized to regulate the (1) Evaluate whether the collection of
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
food, water, and rest provided to these information is necessary for the proper
notice announces the Animal and Plant
equines while the equines are in transit performance of the functions of the
Health Inspection Service’s intention to
and to review related issues appropriate Agency, including whether the
request a revision to and extension of
to ensuring that these animals are information will have practical utility;
approval of an information collection
treated humanely. Based on that (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our
associated with the regulations for the
authority, the U.S. Department of estimate of the burden of the collection
commercial transportation of equines to
Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant of information, including the validity of
slaughtering facilities.
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) the methodology and assumptions used;
DATES: We will consider all comments established regulations in 9 CFR part 88, (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
that we receive on or before February ‘‘Commercial Transportation of Equines clarity of the information to be
12, 2018. for Slaughter.’’ collected; and
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments The regulations in part 88 provide (4) Minimize the burden of the
by either of the following methods: minimum standards that cover, among collection of information on those who
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to other things, the food, water, and rest are to respond, through use, as
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docket provided to such equines prior to appropriate, of automated, electronic,
Detail;D=APHIS-2017-0093. transportation. The regulations also mechanical, and other collection
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: prohibit the commercial transportation technologies; e.g., permitting electronic
Send your comment to Docket No. for slaughter of equines considered to be submission of responses.
APHIS–2017–0093, Regulatory Analysis
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

unfit for travel, the use of electric prods Estimate of burden: The public
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station on such animals in commercial burden for this collection of information
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, transportation for slaughter, and the use is estimated to average 0.465 hours per
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. of double-deck trailers for commercial response.
Supporting documents and any transportation of equines for slaughter. Respondents: Owners and shippers of
comments we receive on this docket APHIS’ regulations also require the slaughter horses, owners or operators of
may be viewed at http:// application of backtags and the slaughtering facilities, and drivers of the
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D= completion of owner/shipper transport vehicles.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:53 Dec 12, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\13DEN1.SGM 13DEN1

Document Created: 2017-12-13 01:24:04
Document Modified: 2017-12-13 01:24:04

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.
Dates		We will consider all comments that we receive on or before February 12, 2018.
Contact		For information on the regulations for the commercial transportation of equines for slaughter, contact Mr. Joseph Astling, Compliance & Outreach, Commercial Transport of Equines for Slaughter, Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 46, Riverdale, MD 20737; (817) 247-3704. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2843.
FR Citation		82 FR 58590

82 FR 58590 - Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Commercial Transportation of Equines for Slaughter

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 238 (December 13, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service